If you want to make your house or building vibrant and give it a great look, you should think of using spray foam or spray foam insulation.
It’s a fantastic spray that is easy to use and doesn’t require any painting experience. But you should indeed have a little spray paint experience.
Mainly, spray foam is designed for only indoor uses. Therefore, it has become famous for indoor painting.
Everything is changing, and brands are working hard to create something unique and useful. That’s why users will also find some outdoor spray foam insulations.
For that reason, many people want to know if they can use spray foam on outdoor walls. So, let’s get to the spray foam and discover if you can use them outside.
Can spray foam be used outside?
The spray foam can be used outside. Though spray foam was designed for indoor uses, you will find outdoor spray foam. Great Stuff is a renowned spray foam brand that designs and creates spray foam for outdoor uses. You can buy one and use it on the outside walls.
Besides that brand, some other brands also come with excellent spray paint for different uses. You can now use the spray foam for indoor and outdoor services.
But here come the difficulties. You have to maintain some conditions before applying the spray foam on the outside walls.
You should know that spray foam has some categories and types. One of the most popular forms is the expandable spray foam. You will find it pretty much everywhere and use it outside by following some easy steps.
However, Isocyanate and polyol resin is the manufacturers’ two ingredients to make the spray foam. These are very durable chemicals too. Therefore, they will help you to spray the foam on both indoor and outside walls. They are durable too.
Expanding spray foam:
You can use the minimal expanding spray foam for outside purposes.
Primarily, we need to use something to protect our home and living room from pests and other insects. In that case, you need to use expandable spray foam.
However, the standard expandable spray foam is not suitable for outdoor use. In that case, you need to buy the minimal expandable spray foam. It will help you spray naturally and close the joints and other outdoor parts perfectly.
The usual expandable spray foam can push the jamb inward; as a result, it will look awkward and ruin the beauty of your interior design. On the other hand, minimal expanding foam will help you spray ideally and won’t jamb inward.
Can you leave spray foam exposed? Can spray foam be exposed to weather?
You can leave spray foam exposed. But that will not be applicable for all the spray foams. You will find some specific spray foam that can be exposed outside or inside.
In that case, you must clean the walls and surfaces, and then you can spray foam on there.
After that, you can leave the spray foam exposed. It will be okay for the inside. However, if you leave the spray foam exposed outdoors, it may lose its effectiveness. Additionally, it will also decay the color and other materials too.
On the other hand, the spray foam can be exposed to the weather. It will be fine for one year. But if you want to use the spray foam and let it last for years, you have to make it weather resistant by applying a coat over it.
The weather, including direct sunlight and rain, may easily ruin the spray paint quality and other chemicals. Therefore, if you expose them to weather, they will lose their original color and become yellowish.
3 reason why you can use spray foam outside
There are some excellent reasons why you can use the spray foam outside. They are:
Chemical Ingredients:
Since the spray foam is made with chemical ingredients, it can be used outdoors or on the walls.
These ingredients are perfect for both indoor and outdoor. That’s why chemical ingredients are the first reason you can use the spray foam outside.
Waterproof features:
Most of the spray foams come with waterproof ingredients. In that case, you need to buy waterproof spray foam. Therefore, you can surely use the spray foam on the outside. It will be durable and last for a long time.
Outdoor spray foam:
We have already said that you will find some special spray foam that is designed for outdoor purposes. They come with waterproof features and other ingredients that resist direct sunlight.
These are the top three reasons you can use spray foam for outdoor uses. Among them, you should always keep in mind the third reason. You should buy the outdoor spray foam or minimal expandable spray foam. They are the best in every way.
How long does spray foam last outside?
The spray foam typically lasts for 10 years. If you talk about the outside, it will last for less than 10 years. In fact, if you use the usual spray, it may ruin one year of regular weather. In that case, the usual chemical fails to resist direct sunlight and rain.
On the other hand, you can use the outdoor spray foam that is usually designed for the outside walls.
They will surely go years and will last long. So, be sure to buy the right spray foam for outdoor uses. Otherwise, it will be a mess and will lose its colors and durability.
How to use spray foam insulation on outside walls?
Using spray foam insulation on outside walls is not challenging. You can easily follow some quick steps and spray the foam on the outside walls.
Clean the walls:
Cleaning the outside wall is the first step before applying spray foam. You need to follow this rule every time you paint your both outside and inside walls. It will help you get rid of extra dust and clean the dirt from the walls.
You can use the vacuum cleaner and clean the walls. Additionally, you can also deep clean the outside walls with chemicals or detergent mixed water. In any way, you have to clean the surface.
Buy suitable spray foams:
You must buy spray foam that is suitable for the outdoor walls.
Before that, you may look for waterproof spray foam. It will be better than anything else. And, you can expect to enjoy the spray paint over the years.
Shake the can properly:
After buying the right spray foam, you need to shake it properly and read the user manual.
It will help you to use the foam in the best ways. Also, if you want to spray the foam on pipes and other corners of the building, you should use an extra coating over that area.
It will be helpful to spray on the surfaces and pretty much everywhere. Also, before following step four, you should make sure that the outside wall is dry and ready to use.
Apply to the surface:
It’s time to apply the spray foam. You need to spray from the corner.
If you spray from the middle of the wall, it might lead to some extra effort. Here, you can also put some extra foam on breaking parts or uneven walls.
By applying some extra foam, you can make the wall even and look nice. After that, you should let it dry and save it from rain or water. It should not take too much time.
So these all are the practical steps that people follow to spray foam on their outside walls. You can also enjoy the excellent-looking walls.
Where should you not use spray foam insulation?
The spray foam is not suitable for every surface or everywhere. You can safely use it both inside and outside.
In indoor, avoid areas with electrical circuit and that is where you should not use spray foam. It is not safe to spray paint close to the electrical box.
You also should avoid using the spray foam near the ceiling lights boxes. That area is also unsafe for spray foam. The main reason is the electrical wire. The spray foam is not electrically safe. That’s why you need to avoid using it near the ceiling boxes.
Finally, if you have skin issues and asthma, you should avoid the spray foam on the living room roof. It might fall you into difficulties.
Final Thoughts
The spray foam is designed for indoor walls and areas. However, it has multiple versions. Some brands come with spray foam that can be used outside. Therefore, you can safely use the spray foam on your outside walls and other areas. It will be fine and safe too.